


That's What Happens

by smallsthehero



Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Smut, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-18
Updated: 2016-04-01
Packaged: 2018-05-14 17:01:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 17,851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5751100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smallsthehero/pseuds/smallsthehero
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The interrogation scene goes a bit differently when Rey decides to make Kylo Ren regret reading her thoughts in the first place. Pairing is Reylo, rated M for sexual content. No hate on the ship, please, thank you!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Rey woke and slowly looked around the room. She certainly wasn’t in the forest anymore, and it took her only a moment to remember what had happened. As soon as she did, she tried to move but found she could not. She was strapped upright in some sort of metal contraption. Rey tried not to panic, but it was difficult not to when she was restrained in such a manner.

There was a slight movement before her, and that was when she saw the stranger in the silver mask from earlier. He was crouched there a few feet away, and seemed to be watching her. Rey saw him and felt defiance replace her fear. She would be damned if she would show him how frightened she was.

“Where am I?” she demanded, sounding stronger than she felt.

There was a pause, and the masked man replied “You’re my guest.”

She almost scoffed at the notion. Guest indeed! Guests were free to come and go, not bound to a chair by their hosts. “Where are the others?” she asked.

“You mean the murderers, traitors, and thieves you call friends?” he responded. “You’ll be relieved to hear I’ve no idea.”

Rey did not respond, but continued to stare him down with the same defiant look.

“You still want to kill me?” the stranger asked in a softer voice.

“That happens when you’re being hunted by a creature in a mask,” Rey answered flatly.

She watched as he almost immediately reached up and without another word pulled the helmet off his head. Now without a mask over his face, he stood to face her. Rey was taken aback briefly. He was young, and had a handsome face; she was not expecting that from how he sounded through the mask. She tried to retain her stern expression, but as he gazed at her with dark eyes she had to look away and down at the floor. She was ashamed at herself for being so taken with his looks—he was supposed to be the enemy, after all.

“What’s your name?” she asked in an attempt to hold him off while she straightened out her thoughts.

She didn’t expect an answer, but he gave her one anyway: “Kylo Ren.”

He put his helmet down and walked towards her, stopping only a couple feet away. “Tell me about the droid,” he said, not allowing himself to be distracted from the task at hand.

Rey once again pointedly looked away. His voice was alluring when not tainted by the helmet. Still, she had to be strong, so she remained silent. He would not get information out of her, of that she was determined.

He moved closer to her. “You know I can take whatever I want,” he murmured to her, the implications all too clear in his tone.

She still didn’t reply and continued to look away. There was a warmth as she felt him draw closer to her. He had his hand up, just inches away from her face. Then she felt him inside her mind. She knew he was in there, because there was a force pressing on her thoughts. Memories and images surfaced then were discarded as he picked his way through her mind like she picked through ships on Jakku for their parts.

“You’re so lonely,” Kylo Ren murmured as he looked over the memories of her sitting alone in the sand, waiting for a family that would never return. He switched to one of her lying in bed at night, unable to sleep. Then he looked at the ones of her scavenging by herself, sometimes going all day without saying a word to anyone.

“Get out of my head,” she insisted, angry at him for seeing her personal thoughts.

She heard him chuckle. “Or what? The map is in here somewhere, and you’re going to give it to me.”

His voice was so confident, so infuriating. Rey knew she had to retaliate, to make him back off. If he did find out where the map was, it could have devastating results for the entire galaxy. If the First Order found Luke, it would be the end of all hope.

Then Rey got an idea. Her cheeks burned at the thought, but it might be her only chance at derailing her captor. So, she closed her eyes and called to mind a particular memory that she was sure would at least give Kylo Ren pause.

_She thought of herself in front of a dirtied mirror inside her home on Jakku. As she stood before it, she began to peel off her clothing after a hard day’s work, getting ready for a bath. She recalled every little detail about how she looked in that mirror with her body suddenly free of all covering. Her hair was let down next, falling about her shoulders as she reached her hands up and ruffled it out. She looked at her naked form for a few moments, wondering if she would ever find someone special to show it to. And if she did, would they like what they saw?_

_After shaking the thought away, she went to the tub and began to bathe herself. The water felt so good, and she sighed deeply as she sat in the tub, cleaning off the dirt from the day. She cleaned her entire body with a small cloth—face, neck, breasts, stomach, legs, and in between her legs. She closed her eyes as she brushed the cloth over her womanhood. It felt kind of good…_

“Stop,” Kylo Ren said suddenly. He was still in her mind, but she could feel that he had ceased shifting through her thoughts to pay attention to the one she had recalled. That was not the only thing she could sense coming from him now. Before, he had been confident as he nonchalantly sifted his way through her mind. Now though, she could feel his surprise at her bold action. It was like he had taken a step back and was just standing there, unsure of what to do next. And there was something else he was feeling as well. A familiar ache in the lower region she could remember feeling a handful of times on Jakku.

Rey smiled in spite of herself. Her plan was working. “Or what?” she taunted. “You’re the one in _my_ head.”

“Give me the map,” he growled, but he was less sure of himself now.

He was still in her mind, she could feel it. So, Rey decided make sure that he would regret his stay.

_She called up a new memory, this time of her lying in bed. It was after the bath, and she lay on her stomach, her hand between her legs as she experimented. She moaned into her pillow, and gripped the blanket with her other hand. Recalling how the touches had made her feel was starting to bring that ache back, but she continued to think about the incident anyway. Strange as it was, the galaxy depended on it._

_“Kylo Ren,” she moaned in the memory._ That had not actually happened, but she knew it would throw him off even more if she added it in.

She felt his arousal increase at that. Rey used the distraction to turn the tables on him and go inside his mind. She had no idea how she was able to do it, but she did.

There were many feelings in his mind that she did not expect to find—loneliness, anxiety, hurt, sorrow, low self-esteem, and fear. He was afraid of not being as strong as his grandfather, Darth Vader. There were other conflicts as well, and she couldn’t help but feel her heart go out to him for being so torn apart on the inside.

“Get out,” he said, and she could feel him pushing her consciousness away. She pushed back, delving into his mind even more.

“Not so nice now, is it?” she said. “Let’s see what sort of personal thoughts you have to share.”

It wasn’t long before she found one of him in a private moment as well.

_He was alone in his room, the majority of his clothing discarded. Sitting on the bed, he leaned his head back against the wall and let out gentle gasps as he stroked his member. Rey watched the scene unfold until, with his free hand clapped over his mouth, he reached completion and spilled his seed all over his chest and hand—_

Rey felt an enormous push and she was out of Kylo Ren’s mind, and he out of hers. They faced each other in the empty room, both with looks of shock and confusion on their faces. Rey because she could not believe that she had been inside his mind and seen him in the act of pleasuring himself, and Kylo Ren because he could not believe she had been so bold.

“You…” he began to say, but his voice trailed off.

She had no idea what to say to him. Was there anything to be said? After what had just transpired between the two of them, there really wasn’t much to say. Rey looked down and almost laughed at the sight of how aroused he was. He followed her gaze down and quickly turned away, covering himself with his cloak.

          “I will get that map,” he said finally, though his voice was low and sounded defeated. Without another word, he went out of the room and closed the door behind him.

          Rey leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes, taking several deep breaths to calm herself down again. She could not believe that she had gone and done such a thing. And why? She had no previous experience being so—so sexual. Perhaps his looks had spurred her on, or her own loneliness. Or maybe she just wasn’t thinking straight after everything she had been through that day. Either way, she had taken a daring risk and it had paid off. Kylo Ren had not taken the map, and Luke was safe for the time being.

          But now Rey had a bigger problem—now she _wanted_ him to come back and finish what she’d started.


	2. Chapter 2

Kylo Ren made it back to his sleeping quarters and immediately went about removing his trousers. He was in such a hurry to get them off that he struggled with the belt and growled in frustration when it would not unbuckle for him. Eventually he got it undone, and before the pants even hit the floor he already had his manhood in hand. He dropped down onto the bed and lay on his back while he moved his hand up and down, pumping himself and sending ripples of pleasure throughout his body. He thought of her while he pleasured himself, her naked form so petite and perfect. And the way she moaned his name as she touched herself…needless to say, it wasn’t long before the sensations reached their peak and his completion ran hot down his fingers and onto his stomach.

This was not how he thought this day was going to go.

And it was all because of that girl, the one from his visions. She had proved herself to not only be strong with the Force, but also very clever. He could not get her out of his head, especially what she had shown him in her mind. He was angry at himself for allowing such feelings to overwhelm him, but all was not lost yet. After all, they still held her captive and there was still a chance he could get the map from her. He just had to figure out how.

Kylo sat up and went to his washroom to clean himself after his hurried masturbation session. Once he had finished he retrieved his pants from the floor, put them on then sat back down on the bed. He tried hard to push what had happened between him and Rey out of his mind so he could focus once more on extracting information from her. Clearly, she was not going to be an easy nut to crack.

He could go seek the guidance of Supreme Leader Snoke. Surely, he would have an idea of how to make her speak. But Kylo was unsure if he could hide his thoughts at the moment when they burned white hot in his mind. He certainly did not want Snoke to be privy to what he just witnessed.

Kylo considered the girl for a few moments. He thought about how, in order to protect herself and her “friends” she had used sex to distract him. Why would she do that? Surely someone so strong with the Force would have considered that as their first option. This revelation led him to believe that, before this day, the girl had no idea she could use it. She was young, and possibly naïve in many aspects. Perhaps he could use that to his advantage.

There was more to it than that though. When they were connected, he felt her own desires and longings seeping into his mind. Deep down, she wanted something more. It stemmed from her loneliness and lack of physical contact with anyone. She was only human, after all. They both were. He felt the same on a number of occasions, but pushed it away because it was a distracting weakness. But maybe now, if it could get him what he needed, it could be acted upon.

Kylo Ren stood, having decided on a plan of action. At least, the bare bones of one. One way or another he was going to get the piece of that map. He just hoped that he would not get too distracted in the process.

Back in the interrogation room, Rey was shifting uncomfortably in the chair. She cursed herself and Kylo Ren for getting her all worked up when she was unable to do anything about it. The ache persisted between her legs, but with her hands both bound she was prevented from getting that release. And it frustrated her.

“Damn him,” she said through gritted teeth as she tried for the hundredth time to free her hands from the restraints. She had no hope whatsoever of him coming back, as he probably realized he would not get the information he needed via reading her mind. Perhaps he would send in his Stormtroopers and have them beat it out of her. At least physical pain would make the ache go away, she supposed.

She jumped a little when the door reopened, wondering if maybe he actually had gone and ordered for her to be physically beaten for the information. She was surprised when Kylo Ren walked in. Rey watched him approach warily, wondering what he had in store for her now that he had had time to plan.

He stopped about five feet away, eyes locked on her. This time though, she didn’t look away. She returned his gaze, looking him in the eye to show him that she was neither afraid nor ashamed for what she did.

“Why did you do that?” he asked her, his voice once again back to being calm and collected as it was before.

Rey decided to play him a bit to try and get him unraveled again. “What do you mean?” she asked innocently.

“The things you showed me in your thoughts,” Kylo replied.

“What things?”

He moved closer to her, eyes still fixated on hers. Clearly, he was not letting her feigned ignorance sway him. “Your _personal_ moments,” he replied. “Why did you show me those?”

Rey shrugged a shoulder. “I grew up learning to use any weapon I could to survive. Sometimes, those weapons come in very different forms.”

He actually smiled at this, but it wasn’t a cruel one. He seemed genuinely amused by her answer. “You’re a smart girl; that much is obvious.”

She shifted again and looked down at the floor. Seeing his face, hearing him compliment her was beginning to weaken her resolve. She didn’t know why he had so great of an effect on her, but it was annoying. “Thank you,” was all she said in reply, and she didn’t even look at him when she said it.

“There’s more to it than that, I think,” Kylo said, and she saw from his feet that he was now standing directly in front of her. “There were other things you could have done; other ways you could have thrown me off.”

Rey didn’t respond. She was curious to see where he was going with this.

“When I looked in your mind, I felt your loneliness,” he continued. “Loneliness can take many forms, and it comes out in our words and actions whether we bid it to or not.”

“I’m not so lonely,” Rey defended “I have friends.”

“Perhaps not, but you are lonely in other ways.”

Rey’s heart began to hammer into her chest as she felt him get close again. This time though, he actually touched her face with his hand. She jumped a little when he did, and he immediately withdrew it. This was surprising to her, and she looked up at him.

“Why did you take your hand away?” she asked.

Now it was his turn to shift uncomfortably. “I embraced the Dark Side, it’s true. But even on this side of the Force, we have standards.”

She was appalled that even after all the bad he had done he was going to refrain from touching her because he thought that she didn’t want him to. “What happened to ‘I can take whatever I want?’”

He looked back at her, his expression serious. “I can take information from your mind, but I refuse to physically touch you in ways that make you uncomfortable.”

She was impressed. Perhaps he was a villain, but if he was unwilling to force himself on her then that made him slightly less of one. “Touch me,” she instructed. “I want you to.”

Kylo looked surprised, but he did as he was told and put his gloved hand back on her face. She leaned into his touch and closed her eyes. It felt nice to be touched, even if she wanted him to be touching other places at the moment. Having not received much affection over the years, Rey found that she was craving it.

She felt his thumb run over her cheek. “You’ve been alone for too long,” he said softly. Her heart managed to beat even harder when she felt him move forward and press his forehead to hers. “I have too.”

When his forehead touched hers she felt him go into her mind, but it was different now. He was there, but it was like he was creating a bridge between them. He was inviting her into his thoughts this time, and after some hesitation she obliged. She felt the years he had suffered, as she did, without an ounce of affection. And all the terrible things he did because he thought he was doing the right thing…the poor soul.

          “We’re the same,” Kylo whispered. “You and I, we both crave freedom from our pain.”

          Though she was enjoying the closeness, Rey frowned. “Why are you doing this?” she asked. “You’re the enemy, and I have information you need. Is this some trick to get me to lower my guard?”

          He pulled away to look at her, but he didn’t look upset at her accusation. “I’m tired of being torn apart,” he explained. “I want something that makes me feel…whole.”

          She searched his mind, but it was true. He still wanted the map, and was still determined to get it. But at this point in time, she could see it in his thoughts: He wanted her.

          “Do it then,” she instructed.

          He cocked his head at her. “Do what?”

          Rey showed him the image in her mind, of her sprawled on her back in bed while he held her legs and rammed himself in and out of her. While he thrust, he had his head tilted back and his eyes closed as he called out for her, begging for release…

          Kylo Ren felt himself grow hard once again at the imagined scenario. This day was about to get much more interesting.


	3. Chapter 3

Kylo Ren moved so that his lips were brushing against Rey’s ear. Her breath caught in her throat at the sudden action and he grinned mischievously.

“Hmm,” he said “how shall we do this?”

Rey’s heart was still pumping so hard that she could have sworn she was back on Jakku running away from the First Order with Finn. She felt impatient, wanting him to just do it already.

He sensed her impatience and chuckled, which only further frustrated her. “What kind of captor would I be if I gave into the demands of my prisoner?”

“And yet here we are,” Rey pointed out as he nuzzled her neck with his nose and lips.

“Perhaps if you want to speed this up, you could show me the piece of the map you saw,” he offered.

Rey turned her head and gave his ear a lick, making him gasp audibly at the sudden sensation this small act brought. “Don’t make the mistake of thinking that I want this more than you do.”

He rested his head on her shoulder and took a few breaths to recover from the ear lick. Then he was back to being teasing. “Fair enough. I must say though, I don’t care for this position.”

There was a click and Rey felt the restraints on her wrists open. However, no sooner had they opened then her arms were suddenly pinned again, this time above her head, and then clamped with new restraints.

“Hey!” Rey complained.

He put a finger to her lips. “Relax, you’ll get what you desire. But you’ll get it on my terms.” Kylo pushed a switch on the chair and it slowly moved forward so that she was in a direct upright position. He bit his bottom lip at the sight of her now restrained with her arms above her head. “There, this is much better.”

“I would still prefer a bed,” Rey grumbled.

Kylo just continued to smile that mischievous, infuriating smile. “As would I, but I can’t risk you running off now, can I? Especially when I’ve got you right where I want you.”

“So now what?” she asked, finding it hard to contain her impatience. Though she wasn’t going to admit it aloud, she too liked the new position much better. Still, she wished he would speed things up.

“Patience,” he chided, using his teeth to remove the gloves from his hands. “Like I said, we’re doing this at my pace.”

Rey lowered her eyelids at him. “Well hurry it up, will you? I’m sure you don’t want your Stormtroopers walking in on what we’re about to do.”

Kylo let his gloves drop to the floor then without another word moved in and claimed her mouth with his own. Rey was again surprised at the sudden move, but she welcomed it gladly. His lips were soft and felt perfectly suited to her own. She had never kissed anyone before so she gave in to instinct and let that fuel her responses to the way his mouth moved over hers. While he kissed her, she felt his hands finally begin to explore the rest of her body. They started on her neck and trailed down to her breasts to give them some much needed attention. When his fingers brushed against her hardened nipples, she moaned into his mouth. The sensation was too erotic for her to keep quiet.

She felt him smile against her mouth. “You like that?” he asked, already knowing the answer.

“Uh-huh,” was all she could reply as he continued to massage those sensitive spots on her breasts. Rey almost complained when he took his hands away, but he slipped them underneath her shirt and resumed touching them once more. It felt even better when his bare hands were there and she had to hold back another moan as he began to kiss her neck along with the fondling.

“Don’t hold back,” he breathed into her neck. “This room is soundproof. I want to hear every sound you make.”

“Maybe I won’t make any,” said Rey. “Just to spite you.”

“We’ll see,” he shot back.

Her excitement grew as his hands left her breasts and trailed down her stomach and into her pants. They didn’t touch her where she wanted them to, but a shudder ran through her when he dragged his long fingers against her bare thighs. There was electricity in his touch, and she loved every bit of it. He brought his hands out of her trousers to undo the ties holding them up. His fingers worked deftly and in seconds her bottom half was bare.

Rey gave a small shiver when her legs came into contact with the air. Kylo Ren knelt before her, his fingers resuming their stroking of her thighs. “Are you cold?” he asked, looking up at her from this new position.

“A little,” she confirmed. “You don’t have the warmest base in the galaxy, you know.”

He grinned and kissed her inner thigh. “Don’t worry, I’ll get you warmed up soon enough.”

His lips trailed up and down one thigh before moving to the other and doing the same there. It felt wonderful, but Rey was almost willing to beg him to kiss her where it counted. Almost. And then, just when she was about to tell him off again for taking his sweet time, his mouth finally found her womanhood.

Rey moaned as he ran his tongue back and forth over it, putting pressure on the clit and making her squirm from the intense pleasure of it. While he worked, he pushed one of his fingers inside of her and began to move it in and out with perfect rhythm. She couldn’t have kept quiet even if she wanted to, and her soft sounds only spurred him on.

“Kylo Ren.” Her moaning his name was no longer an invented memory. He heard it, and it inflated his ego to know that he was the one making her feel this way. His pants were being pushed to their limit as his erection begged to be freed. He knew it had to be soon. But she tasted so good, and he was enjoying making her squirm. He wanted to continue until she reached completion but his own needs could no longer be ignored. He had to be inside of her, now.

He stood before her and worked on undoing his belt for the second time that day. Rey watched as he removed his trousers, feeling a little nervous when she saw how big he was. How was that supposed to fit inside of her? Surely, it was going to hurt. He saw the trepidation in her mind and took her face tenderly into his hands.

“If it hurts too much, you let me know and I’ll stop, alright?” he assured her.

Rey nodded.

“Don’t worry, I’ll go slowly at first.” He began to kiss her once again, gently this time. She could feel him in her mind, showing her that he too was nervous. He had never done this before, but knew how it worked from when his father had had that talk with him a long time ago. Rey was comforted by the knowledge that he didn’t really know what to expect.

She pulled out of the kiss, looked him in the eye and said “I’m ready.” She was a scavenger who had grown up on Jakku and survived on her own for over a decade. After all she had been through, she could handle this. No problem.

Kylo Ren moved himself forward so that the tip of his penis brushed the underside of her vagina. He rubbed himself against her, getting them both riled up and lubricating his manhood with her moisture. With one hand he cupped her face and with the other, he guided himself until he was poised at her entrance. He looked again into her eyes, and she could see how he burned for her. So she leaned forward and, putting her lips close to his she whispered “Do it.”

He didn’t need to be told twice. His tip pushed inside of her, making her gasp. She didn’t know what she expected it to feel like, but it wasn’t that. It wasn’t painful per say, but as he went deeper on the next couple thrusts it started to get uncomfortable. He felt her discomfort and paused in his thrusting to put his hand between them and gently rub her clit. While he massaged it, he resumed pushing his penis in and out of her. The massaging made her discomfort go away, and soon enough she was able to take almost his entire length into her.

As soon as he felt in her mind that she was no longer in pain, Kylo Ren began to put some speed to his thrusts. Now that he was sure he was not hurting her, he gave in to his lust and moved at the pace he desired. He remained connected with her in her mind, making sure that she was enjoying herself too. The bridge between their minds also made the experience more intimate. When connected, they could see and feel how the other one felt. Rey saw how intoxicated Kylo Ren was by her, and he saw how enraptured she was with finally having him inside of her.

Kylo Ren wasn’t sure how long they fucked, and he was certain that he didn’t care. He was so caught up in the sensations that were brought every time he pushed himself inside of Rey. Eventually though, he began to feel a change in her. Her entrance was beginning to tighten around him, and he could feel the pleasure building up inside of her. She was nearing her completion. So Kylo increased his speed and his force and continued to rub her until, with one final cry of his name, she was pushed over the edge.

“Kylo…” she sighed into his neck after she had finished, and he could feel in her mind how utterly satisfied she was.

He continued fucking her until he felt himself starting to reach that point as well. Rey remained connected with him so she could experience it with him. Just before he got there, Rey gave his ear another lick and murmured “Finish for me, Ren.” That sent him toppling over the edge with a cry even louder than hers had been.

Rey felt the hot liquid from his finish shooting inside of her, and she found that she liked that feeling. She was proud of herself for being the one to make him do that. After all, this had been her idea in the first place.

Kylo Ren didn’t pull out of her immediately, but instead collapsed against her with his forehead on her shoulder. He was breathing heavily, and from what Rey could see in his mind didn’t appear to be ready to move anytime soon. She didn’t mind though. She was enjoying the intimacy with him, even if it couldn’t last.

“Says who?” he mumbled.

She sighed, wishing her arms were free so she could embrace him. “Says the fact that we’re on opposite sides of this fight.”

Her reminder hit him hard and brought him down from the cloud of euphoria that the sex had created. It was true, they were supposed to be fighting against one another. He lifted his head up and once again took her face into his hands. “You could join me,” he offered. “I could show you the ways of the Force.”

Rey frowned. “What, from the Dark Side? You know I can’t do that.”

“Why not?”

“Because…it’s not the right thing to do.”

He pulled away, and they stared at each other for a long time. “You’re right,” he said, seeing it in her mind. She was too pure, too good. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t try. Perhaps, if he showed her how strong she could be on the Dark Side, she would be more willing to join. She would fight it, probably, but he knew it would be right for her. She just had to be shown.

“So…what happens now?” she asked hesitantly. “I’m not giving you the piece of that map, but—ah—I did enjoy what we just did.”

He smiled at that. “Me too. We do need that map so…I suppose I will just have to find another way to get it out of you.”

“I suppose you will.”

Kylo Ren looked at her, wishing more than anything that she could stay with him. He had grown very fond of her in their time together, especially after the amazing sex they had just had. But there was more to his attraction than that. He had been in her mind, seen how strong she was and how intelligent. She was a truly interesting and enticing person and he longed to get to know her better.

“Perhaps I could…delay things a bit longer,” he suggested.

Rey smiled at the notion, and he felt his heart melt a little when she did. She had a truly beautiful smile. “Do what you can,” she said. “I’ll be here…plotting my escape.”

He chuckled. “Fair enough. I’ll get things sorted for now and come to see you later.” He turned to leave, but was stopped when Rey called to him.

“Kylo Ren?” she said.

He turned back to face her. “Yes, Rey?”

Rey blushed and looked down. “I think maybe you should put your pants back on first.”


	4. Chapter 4

The interrogation room was silent as Rey pondered her next move. It had been only a day since she’d been captured by the First Order, but so much had happened since then that it felt like longer. Kylo Ren had been back three times since their initial encounter, both for more sex and to inform her of the situation with the map. She could tell he was trying hard to avoid getting it from her but his loyalty to Snoke was too powerful. She had a feeling that next time he came to see her, it would be to bring her to his master.

          While she enjoyed his hungry kisses all over her body and the sounds he made as he thrust himself over and over between her legs, she knew she had to escape. Rey had discovered how wonderful and intimate sex could be, but it was not worth risking the lives of many. She could not be selfish in that regard—she had to get away.

          But how? She was restrained, and even if she persuaded Kylo Ren to undo the restraints, she would not get very far. His fondness for her was probably not stronger than his ties to the First Order. Difficult as it might be, she needed to do it herself.

          Rey looked around the room. There was always something she could do, always some way to fix the problem. If only her hands weren’t tied, she could scale the walls for a circuit box and tweak some things to get herself out. Tied down though, she was almost useless.

          She thought about what Maz Kanata had said about the Force, how it was all around. Jedis used it, and somehow she had been able to use it to repel Kylo Ren in her mind. Would it work for her? Rey turned her head to look at the Stormtrooper who had been sent in to keep an eye on her while Kylo Ren was away. Perhaps she could…

          In a somewhat shaky voice, she said to him “You will remove these restraints and leave this cell with the door open.”

          The Stormtrooper cocked his head. “What did you say?”

          It didn’t work. Rey decided to give it another go. “You will remove these restraints and leave this cell with the door open.”

          He walked over so that he was standing beside her, gun poised as if he were ready to shoot her at the slightest movement. “I will tighten those restraints, scavenger scum,” he threatened from behind his mask.

          Suddenly, Rey felt her fear turn to calm and her hesitation to confidence. She had this. In a much more powerful and sure voice than before, she once more commanded “You will remove these restraints and leave this cell with the door open.”

          The Stormtrooper straightened and his body seemed to relax. “I will remove these restraints and leave this cell with the door open,” he repeated. Without another word, he released her from the chair and then turned to leave the room.

          “And you’ll drop your weapon,” Rey quickly added before he was gone.

          “And I’ll drop my weapon,” he said, and so he did with a loud metallic CLANG on the floor.

          Rey wasted no time. She ran, picked up the gun and then snuck down the hallway to try and find her way out.

Kylo Ren was sitting in his quarters, putting off having to bring Rey before Snoke. He could no longer shield her from the Supreme Leader and had finally been ordered to bring her forth. While he had managed to keep his feelings and thoughts about her a secret, he could not help but feel that Snoke suspected him anyway. After all, this was not the first time he had had a call to the light. No matter how many times he pushed it away, it kept coming back. And it bothered him; he knew he was stronger than that.

He knew that if he brought Rey to Snoke, he would lose her for sure. She would never trust him again. And for some reason, that hurt him. It tore him up to think of her hating him, which was the most likely outcome of him turning her over. But he had to do it, no matter what he felt. After all, sacrifices had to be made in the line of duty.

Sighing heavily, he reluctantly got up from where he was sitting on the bed. He had put it off long enough. It was time now to bid Rey farewell so that they could get what they needed out of her. He made his way to the door and pushed the button to open it. Kylo Ren only got a couple feet out of the room before colliding with someone.

“Why don’t you watch where—” he started, but was cut short when he saw Rey standing there, pointing a gun at him and looking quite shocked to see him there.

“Kylo Ren,” she said, as if saying his name would make her believe he was there. She lowered the gun. “What are you doing here?”

He raised his eyebrows and looked around. “Well, considering this is my base, I’d say I reside here,” he replied. Then he frowned. “Wait, how did you get out of your restraints? And where did you get the gun from?”

Rey looked nervous. “I—I tricked one of your guards into letting me out,” she admitted.

“How?” he asked.

She shook her head. “Let’s not talk about it. Come on, I’ve got better things we can do.”

Kylo Ren suddenly found himself being pushed back into his bedroom by some invisible force. He looked at Rey incredulously. “Is that you? Are you using the Force?”

“I don’t know,” said Rey, setting her gun down and going about undoing her belt. “I suppose so.”

“You suppose you’re using a power that takes people years to master?”

She shrugged. “I didn’t think it was all that hard to do,” she tried to say in a nonchalant voice, although inside she was somewhat frightened. Her newfound power scared her a bit, but she tried to push it away and focus on him.

He stared at her as she removed her cloth and began work on getting her pants off. “I don’t understand,” he said slowly. “If you escaped, why come here? Or was it by chance?”

“I just—I somehow knew where to find you. I wanted to be with you and I couldn’t wait any longer.” She pulled her shirt over her head and stood before him, now fully nude. “I want to do this on a bed, for once.”

Kylo Ren let his eyes wander over her naked body, taking in every detail. He had only seen her completely naked once, and that was in the memory she showed him. She was much more breathtaking in real life, and he found his hand reaching down to grasp his now throbbing erection.

However, no sooner had his fingers touched it than his hand was pushed away by the invisible force from earlier. He tried to move, but found he couldn’t.

“Rey, what are you doing?” he asked, struggling against her hold on him.

She smiled mischievously. “I believe it’s called ‘pay back.’” While he stood there, immobile, she sauntered over to him and began to very slowly undress him. “You’ve been the one in control of the pace for too long. Now it’s my turn.”

Kylo Ren relaxed. He knew that if he really tried, he could fight her for control of his body. But her being the one in control was exciting, and he was curious to see what she would do when she had the upper hand. So he allowed her to hold him in place while she had her way with him.

When his shirt was off and his pants were down, something she had taken an achingly long time with, she knelt before him. “I hope your room is sound proof,” she commented, wrapping her fingers around his enlarged penis and stroking it. “I want to make you scream.”

He had no control over his sounds as she stroked him. If he had use of his hands, he would have clamped a hand over his mouth to muffle them. So, he didn’t bother trying to hold back. His room was not sound proof, but if they heard then they heard. The door was locked from the inside anyway.

Kylo Ren felt an enormous shudder go through his body when she took him into her mouth. She pushed her lips over him and ran her tongue along the underside, over the tip and then back down again. When he hit the back of her throat, he cried out her name.

She took her mouth off of his member but continued to stroke him while she smiled up at him. “I like it when you say my name,” she said in a low, seductive voice. “Say it again.”

Rey gave his tip a good, long lick and she was rewarded with another plea in the form of her name. She resumed licking and sucking him until she could feel in his mind that he was getting close to finishing. That was when she pulled away and used the force to shove him over onto the bed.

Kylo Ren lay there, stunned while he watched Rey climb on top of him. She had his arms pinned above his head, just like he had done to her. He grinned. “I’m beginning to see a pattern here with us,” he noted, feeling a little light headed from the almost-orgasm he had just experienced combined with being pushed onto the bed.

She returned the smile and then leaned down so that their lips touched. It had only been a few hours since they had last done this, but to Kylo Ren it felt like eons. And this instance was so much more special since she was now free to move as she liked while he was the one pinned down. _There you go again, turning the tables on me_ , he thought, knowing she was listening.

 _What can I say? I’m all about things being equal_ , she replied.

Kylo gasped as she began to grind his lap, moving her sensitive spot over his. Now it was her turn to make those soft sounds he so craved to hear. Her lips moved away from his to start giving his ear some attention. He bit his lip to keep himself from crying out again as she ran her tongue along the inner part of his ear where it was most sensitive. She moved on to his neck after, but brought her hand up to continue stroking his ear with her fingernail, knowing full well that it would drive him especially crazy.

“Rey,” he moaned into her shoulder. “I need to be inside you.”

“Patience,” she whispered into his ear as he had done to her before. “I want to enjoy this.”

Her kisses made their way down his chest, spending some time on his nipples before continuing their way back down to where his manhood strained at his hips. She massaged his thighs and kissed them, giving his member another lick along its underside before slowly making her way up to his mouth.

“Rey,” he pleaded again, attempting to thrust upwards even though she had him pinned.

“Alright,” she conceded, settling herself once again on his crotch. “Let’s fuck.”

The relief and pleasure that filled him when she slid him inside of her was unmatched by any he had gotten from her so far. He longed to buck into her, but she kept him down so he was at her mercy. Fortunately, now that he was inside she began to move at a pace that made them both happy. Since his hands were bound, she used her own fingers to rub herself and increase the pleasure. Rey rode him hard, bringing herself up until just the tip remained inside before pushing herself back down and taking him in as deep as she could.

Kylo Ren didn’t care if the entire planet heard him, he let his moans escape him without the slightest hint of control. Rey did the same, although occasionally she would put her mouth over his and the sound would be muffled for both parties. Their minds were connected the entire time, so they could fully enjoy the experience.

Though she was glorious at riding him, Kylo Ren eventually felt her begin to tire. She tried to continue, but he could feel that it was getting difficult for her to keep the pace up.

 _Want me to take over?_ He thought to her.

 _Yeah, if you don’t mind,_ she replied.

Kylo regain use of his arms and he sat up. She clambered off of him and laid down on the bed while he climbed on top. He took a moment to just gaze at her, her hair splayed out on the pillow beneath her head and her cheeks flushed from the activity.

“What?” she asked with a smile.

He cupped her face as he looked down and stroked her cheek tenderly. “You are so beautiful,” he murmured to her.

Rey blushed. “You too,” she replied.

Kylo moved her legs into position and once again pushed himself inside of her to continue. He realized that this was just like that imagined scenario Rey showed him before their first time. The memory brought an even bigger smile to his lips, and he shared it with Rey while he resumed his thrusts. She smiled too. Life was funny that way.

They continued in that manner until Rey screamed out her climax, followed a few minutes later with Kylo doing the same. He instinctively pushed himself deep inside of her as his seed spilled forth and then promptly collapsed on top of her when his orgasm had subsided.

Rey’s arms went around him as she held him close. She liked being able to finally embrace him after he finished. It felt much more satisfying than him pulling out of her then getting ready to leave soon after. Now that they were in his bedroom, they had more time for privacy.

When Kylo Ren was able to move, he rolled over onto his back then pulled Rey to his chest, holding her while they lay there together. She stroked his chest while he stroked her hair. They didn’t speak, but there wasn’t much to be said.

“What about your escape?” he asked after a while of them laying together in this manner.

Rey froze. How did he know?

“I was in your head,” Kylo reminded her. “I knew what you were up to. The sex was to distract me from asking too many questions.”

She hated that he had found out that way. Now he was probably going to give her a long speech about why she should stay, why embracing the power of the Dark Side was the best thing for her.

“I want to,” he mumbled as he moved to tracing his fingers along her shoulder. “More than anything, I want you to stay with me. But I’m not going to make you.”

Rey frowned. “What do you mean?”

He sighed. “You’re strong with the Force, and I would want you to join the Dark Side with me. But I’m leaving the choice up to you.”

“But Snoke—”

“You let me deal with the consequences. When you leave, I’m giving you a head start. You get as far away from here as you can.”

Rey sat up in bed to face him. “Kylo—”

“Ben,” he interrupted. “My name is Ben Solo. I want you to know that before you escape.”

“Then your father is—”

“Han Solo, yeah.” Kylo Ren sat up in bed and once again put his hand on her cheek. “I love you, Rey. At least, I think that is what this is. But I have a job to do, and I can’t afford to have that weakness. That is why I can’t keep you here anymore. I love you too much, and it’s breaking me apart.”

Rey wasn’t sure why, but she felt herself tearing up at his words. No one had ever told her they loved her before. The sentiment was nearly overwhelming for her. “You love me?” she repeated, not believing it but hoping it to be true.

He kissed her, and she could feel his answer in that kiss. Rey was unsure what she felt for him—sorrow, affection, lust, fear, anger at what he’d done. Her feelings for him were jumbled.

“I understand,” he replied. He looked into her eyes. “I’m not expecting you to be as sure as I am of what you feel. You may never feel for me what I feel for you, and that’s fine. Right now though, I need you to go and free me of this agony.”

“I don’t want to leave you though,” she argued. “Even if I don’t love you, I still care about you and want you to be safe.”

He took her hand. “Rey, you need to trust me on this. You have friends waiting for you, seek them out. I’m no good for you anyway.”

She shook her head. “That’s not true. Kylo— _Ben_ , I want to help you.”

He closed his eyes. “Say it again.”

“I want to help you.”

“No, when you said my name. My real name.”

“Ben.”

Kylo Ren smiled, eyes still closed as if he were elsewhere, reliving a distant memory. When he opened them again though, his expression became serious. “He’s here.”

She watched him get out of bed and begin to put his clothing back on. “Who?” Rey asked.

“If I were you, I’d sneak around the western side of the hangar and wait about thirty minutes before taking one of the ships you’ll find there. The guards should be finished with their rounds by then and the area will be empty for about ten minutes.”

Rey wanted to argue with him, but she knew in her heart she couldn’t. He had made up his mind and was not going to let it be changed, not even by her. Sad as it was, she was going to have to accept it and let him go.

“Wait five minutes before you leave this room,” he instructed as he reached the door. “There’s a squad that’s going to walk by on their patrol soon.”

“Ben?” she called from the bed before he left.

He turned to her, and the pain in his eyes made her heart ache. She could see it was killing him to leave her, but in his mind he had to. “Yes, Rey?”

She lowered her gaze to the floor. “Will we ever see each other again?”

The question hung in the air between them, a hope that neither were sure if they should cling to or not. “What does your heart tell you?” he asked after a minute or so of silence.

Rey thought about it. Then answered “Yes. I hope so.”

He smiled and nodded at her answer. “Me too.” Then he left the room and was gone.

She was now alone in his bedroom with nothing but a bedsheet that was quickly turning cold and an aching heart. _But,_ she thought, _I guess when you fall for the enemy, that’s what happens._


	5. Chapter 5

Kylo Ren opened his eyes and had to immediately squint them in the blinding light. After a few moments of blinking and trying to adjust his sight, he realized what he was looking at: The sun in a brilliant blue sky.

          Curious, he sat up to survey his surroundings. He was sitting on a grassy hillside by a large lake. Below, he could see a magnificent house on the lake’s edge with balconies and domed roofs. That building looked familiar—had he seen it before?

          “Ben!” he heard a familiar voice call. Turning, his heart clenched tightly when he saw her standing there in a light blue dress on the hillside behind him.

          “Rey,” Kylo Ren breathed as he stared incredulously at her. Last he had seen her, she had been angry with him and nearly killed him in battle with her lightsaber. He didn’t blame her though; his actions warranted death.

          He got to his feet as she approached him on the hill, confused as to how they both got to such a strange yet beautiful place. She looked beautiful too in a flowing blue dress that hung off her shoulders. Her long dark hair had flowers weaved into it and cascaded down her back. As she got closer, he could see she was carrying something in her arms. He was dealt another emotional blow when he realized what it was: a baby.

          Rey frowned at him as he looked at the baby with surprise. “Ben, is everything alright?” she asked.

          He shook away his emotions and nodded. “Yes, I’m fine. Rey, what’s going on?”

          “Well, I came here to ask if you could hold Quinn for me,” she explained. “Anakin’s gone down to the lake and he’s getting too close to the water. I need to go get him so he doesn’t fall in.”

          Kylo wordlessly held out his arms and allowed her to place the sleeping infant in them. He pulled back the blanket a little to get a look at the child’s face. She had such tiny features, and little tufts of dark hair on her head. As he looked, she opened her mouth wide in a yawn but continued to sleep on.

          Rey smiled. “She’s always so calm when her father holds he,” she remarked. “Don’t worry, I’ll be back in a minute.” With that, she began making her way down towards the lake.

          Meanwhile, Kylo Ren was more confused than ever. Father? Since when did he become a father? What was going on? He sat back down with Quinn in his arms, trying to remember anything that would hint as to how he got there. The only thing he could remember was his battle with Rey in the forest…

          While he sat there trying to sort out his thoughts, Rey returned holding the hand of a little boy with a mop of messy dark brown hair. The boy let go of his mother’s hand to run and throw his arms around Kylo Ren’s neck.

          “Dad!” he cried. “I saw a gigantic fish in the lake!”

          Rey laughed and sat beside Kylo, pushing his hair back out of his eyes. “Ani, don’t yell in daddy’s ear like that. You’ll make him go deaf.”

          Kylo Ren stared at his son. He looked so much like Rey, but had the beginnings of his father’s nose and dark eyes. Even though Kylo was sure this was a dream, he could see every detail of Anakin’s face plain as day. It was remarkable.

          “Your mother said she’s going to come visit us tomorrow,” said Rey as Anakin began to pick pieces of grass apart then roll happily down the hill. “She wants to see her grandchildren. It has been quite a while—not since Quinn was born.”

          He turned to look at her again, trying to lose himself in her beauty. If this was a dream, he wanted to enjoy every moment. Leaning in, he kissed her lovingly. It felt so real. Her lips were exactly the way he remembered them from before.

          The kiss lasted for several minutes. When he finally broke away, he pressed his forehead to hers and looked into her brown eyes. “Rey,” he whispered. “is this real?”

          She smiled, but it was a sad one. “No,” she replied. “It’s not.”

          Again, he felt a painful clench in his heart. He knew it had been too good to be true. He pulled away from her and looked down at his sleeping daughter in his arms. “Why am I dreaming about this?”

          Rey moved close to him, put her arms around his shoulders and planted a kiss on his cheek. “Because this is what your heart wants,” she replied. “You want a life with me—you want to be free.”

          “I do,” he murmured, placing one of his hands over hers on his shoulder and giving it a gentle squeeze. “I want this more than anything. But is it even possible for us anymore?”

          “Of course it is,” Rey assured him. “Nothing about our future is ever set in stone. Even now, as you recover from your wounds, I carry our child in my womb.”

          He thought his heart might jump out of his chest upon hearing that news. “You’re…you’re pregnant?”

          She smiled and nodded. “Yes, I am. We conceived a child together during our time on Starkiller Base.”

          Though he was overjoyed at the news, he was also heartbroken. Rey would be carrying the child on her own, possibly even raising it on her own. He might never even get to see his son or daughter due to their now strained relationship. He did not know where she was at the moment, and highly doubted she would ever seek him out to tell him.

          “What should I do?” he asked the dream version of Rey.

          She took his face into her hands and kissed him gently yet tenderly. “Don’t resist the pull towards the light anymore. Give in to it. Seek out redemption.”

          Her words hit him hard. No, how could he? He had worked so hard to keep away from the light, so why would he give in to it now? He loved Rey, but it was weakness. He couldn’t afford weakness, not when he was so close to achieving what Darth Vader had striven for.

          Kylo Ren pulled himself away from her. “I can’t,” he said. “I have to do this.”

          There was a sadness in Rey’s eyes as she said “Then you’re going to lose me forever.”

          As she said it, both she and the scenery began to fade. When he looked down, the baby in his arms was gone. He reached out to try and touch Rey’s cheek, but his fingers felt nothing but the air. In seconds, she and Anakin were gone and he was left in complete darkness.

          Kylo Ren stood, feeling as though there were a heavy weight on his shoulders and heart. “Forgive me, Rey,” he said before closing his eyes and letting the darkness wash over him.

 

          Rey tossed and turned, groaning in her sleep as she dreamed. In her dream, she was in excruciating pain. Her stomach was swollen and she could see Luke at her feet, encouraging her to push the baby out.

          “I can’t do it,” she gasped through her cries of pain. “I can’t!”

“Yes you can,” Luke encouraged her. “Be strong now, Rey, you need to push. Come now, I can see the head. It’s nearly out.”

          With one more cry and enormous push, her pain subsided and a baby’s cries filled the air. Luke worked on cleaning up the infant before carefully placing it into her arms.

          “Meet your son,” he said as she accepted her child tearfully.

          Rey looked down at the newborn, her heart bursting with love for this new, tiny being. He cried, but she cradled him and spoke soothingly to him.

          “He’s perfect,” she whispered, tears of joy continuing down her cheeks.

          She looked back up to ask Luke what she should name him only to discover that she was now alone in complete darkness with her son in her arms. Confused, Rey tried to get up to investigate but found she could not move. No matter how hard she tried to will herself to get up from the bed she’d given birth on, she could not.

          “Magnificent,” a low, gravelly voice spoke from the darkness. “A child born of light and dark. So strong with the Force…he will make a fine apprentice.”

          The voice struck fear into Rey’s heart. She had never heard it before, but somehow she knew exactly who it was. As she looked on, a creature stepped forth from the shadows. He was very tall and thin, with a bald, scarred head and beady, bright eyes. He was the one who had spoken; he was Snoke.

          Snoke stopped at her bedside, his eyes not on Rey but on the baby in her arms. “You and Kylo Ren were so foolish to think that you could keep such a thing from me,” he said in a low, calm voice.

          Rey knew what was going to happen and she was ready to do anything to try and stop it. “Please,” she begged “don’t take my son from me.”

          Snoke ignored her. Reaching across, he scooped the baby from her arms and took him into his own. “He will be raised where he should be: On the Dark Side of the Force.”

          “Please,” she implored again. “Please don’t do this. Take me instead.”

          Her enemy laughed harshly and turned away, retreating back into the darkness while Rey screamed in agony at the loss of her son…

          Rey awoke from the dream, screaming out into the darkness of the hut where she was staying. Her chest heaved and her eyes burned from the tears she had shed while dreaming. A thin layer of sweat covered her body and made her skin glisten in the light of the moon. A hand went to her pregnant stomach and she felt relief flood through her. The baby was safe. But for how long?

         


	6. Chapter 6

Luke went out of his hut and saw Rey standing at the edge of the island, staring across the water at the rising sun. Sensing her troubled heart, he made his way over to stand beside her. As he got closer, he could see she was stroking her pregnant stomach in a sporadic, fearful manner.

          “Rey?” Luke asked as he moved to stand beside her.

          Without looking at him, she said “Ben Solo is the father of my baby. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you before, I was just scared to admit the truth.”

          He nodded. “I know. I sensed the baby was of my own flesh and blood when it began to grow. I didn’t want to make you feel like you had to tell me though.”

          “It’s not what you think,” Rey went on. “He didn’t force himself on me during my time as a First Order prisoner. I—I wanted him to do it.”

          “So you’re going to have my great-nephew,” Luke concluded and Rey was relieved that he didn’t dwell on the circumstances leading to her pregnancy. “He will be strong in the Force, I guarantee you that.”

          She turned to look at him. “’He’? You mean it’s a boy?”

          “I’ve had many visions of your child,” he explained “and it is a boy in every one of them. I could be wrong, though, but for now we will assume it is one. Now, I take it you had a vision yourself last night?”

          Rey felt her insides turn cold at the reminder of her nightmare. “Snoke took him away from me,” she told him, feeling her eyes burn again at the painful memory. “He took my baby away from me.”

          “He will have to be protected then,” said Luke. “Snoke will want the son of Kylo Ren to train on the Dark Side.”

          She shook her head. “I don’t know what to do. I’ve been training with you for months, but even against Snoke I’ll be powerless.”

          Luke was silent. Rey’s senses were beginning to heighten due to her training and she could feel that there was more he wanted to say. He was, however, hesitant to say it. She had a bad feeling she knew what it was though.

          “You know what’s in my heart,” he said in a quiet voice to her. “Maybe not for certain, but you know what I’m going to say.”

          Rey nodded slowly. “Yes, I think so. You want me to send my baby somewhere he’ll be safe.” The idea of Snoke taking her child was painful, but the idea of sending him away wasn’t any less so.

          “Life is full of difficult choices,” Luke reminded her, as he often did. “Sometimes for the good of another, sacrifices must be made. My master, Obi-Wan understood that all too well. He fought my father and nearly killed him after he’d gone to the Dark Side. No matter how much it pained him, he knew it had to be done.”

          “I wish I hadn’t done this,” Rey sighed, stroking her swollen abdomen. “This child is going to suffer because of me. He might even turn out like his father and great-grandfather.”

          Luke shook his head. “No he won’t. He will admire his mother for her courage in choosing to save him. There may be dark in him, but there is also a good deal of light, after all.”

          She smiled. “There is light in him, isn’t there? Sorry, sometimes the darkness is all I can feel surrounding us and I forget that the light is there too.”

          “In time, you will be able to feel a balance of both,” he assured her. “For right now though, we must continue to fight for that balance. Come, let’s get some breakfast so we can begin your training for the day.”

          Rey tried to go to sleep later that night, but found she couldn’t. Luke had helped her get through the day, reassuring her until her worries had dwindled. They were still there, but not to the degree they had been that morning. At least now it wasn’t eating away at her anymore until she thought she might scream.

          Now, however, she was thinking a lot about Kylo Ren. He had not been there in her vision, only Snoke. Did that mean he would refuse to help his master steal her child away? Surely it was a task Snoke would make his apprentice do. If he was doing it himself, perhaps he could not convince Kylo to do it. Perhaps that was a good sign…

          In spite of everything bad that had happened since their intimate moments together, Rey still felt something for him. She still wouldn’t call it love, but it definitely wasn’t hate either. Killing Han Solo and nearly killing Finn had been what caused her to pull away and leave him there to die. Now that she had time with Luke and learned about what the Dark Side could cause people to do though, her feelings were softening slightly. Yes, it had been horrible of him to do those things, but maybe it wasn’t too late to save him. After all, she’d seen the light in him during their time together. She knew he wasn’t completely lost just yet. He was the father of her child—perhaps he deserved a chance at redemption.

          She began to think back on how he had made her feel too. Though it frustrated her, she still felt that ache for him. That longing to be close with him once more. Around Luke, she ignored it so he would not sense it. When she was alone though, her feelings tended to run wild.

          Sighing, she rolled from her side onto her back and put a hand to her ever growing belly. Occasionally, she would feel the child within give a small kick. It brought a smile to her lips, but pain to her heart whenever she felt it move. She knew she would never be able to raise it. Not with Snoke looking for it. And if her baby looked anything like its father, she wasn’t sure she could bear to be reminded of his transgressions.

          Eventually, Rey did finally drift into an uneasy sleep. She began to dream, but this time she was alone. There was no baby, no Luke, just her standing on a balcony next to a lake. She marveled at the lake, transfixed at how clear and calm the waters were. It was just like glass. She found it very peaceful.

          There was a movement beside her, and she looked to see Kylo Ren standing there. Only, he abandoned his black attire in favor of grey and blue garb and his skin had a healthier tone to it. He looked as though he had never even heard mention of the Dark Side—the Jedi he should have been.

          “Ben,” she whispered, still in shock at his sudden appearance.

          He did not look at her, but was looking out at the lake and seemed just as awed by it as she had been. “It’s so beautiful here,” he noted, ignoring Rey’s surprised demeanor. “I used to come here as a boy. My mother, she told me that it belonged to my grandmother a long time ago. This was her home planet, you know.”

          “Your grandmother?” Rey asked, choosing to push away all her questions for the time being.

          “Yes. Her name was Padme Amidala. I am told she was very beautiful and also very kind. She died before my mother and Luke were born. I wish I had gotten to meet her…and my grandfather.”

          He turned to her then, looking into her eyes. “I think this is where they fell in love.”

          Rey looked away and back out onto the lake. “Don’t do that,” she mumbled.

          “What?”

          “ _That_.”

          “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

          “You know, _that_. Where you look at me with those damn eyes and act like everything is going to be just fine.”

          A look of confusion swept over his face. “Rey, I’m not sure what you mean.”

          She nearly stamped a foot in frustration. Turning to him, she folded her arms across her chest and looked him dead in the eye. “You got me pregnant, you killed one of my friends and almost killed another, and then you tried to kill me! You know damn well what I mean.”

          His expression relaxed, but he looked down at the ground when he spoke next. She could tell her words had struck him hard. “I know I’ve hurt you, Rey. I know nothing I can ever do will make it up to you. I hurt a lot of people, including myself. But you need to understand, I’ve abandoned that side of me. I’ve abandoned the Dark Side and I am never going back to it.”

          She narrowed her eyes at him, but softened her tone just a little. “Why? What could have possibly caused you to denounce what you so strongly believed in?”

          He looked up at her then, and she didn’t need an answer from the look he gave her. She knew why. When he reached his hand up to touch the side of her face, she didn’t pull away but leaned into his touch. It was so warm, so real. She wished it could be real.

          “Who says this isn’t real?” he asked her. “We have a bond, you and I. That’s why no matter how far apart we are, we can still see and feel one another in our dreams.”

          Rey scoffed. “That is so cheesy,” she remarked.

          He took her face into both his hands and gently tilted her head up to look at him. “Rey, I love you. No matter what happens from this day forward, I just want you to remember that.”

          His confession was so honest, so earnest that it hurt her she couldn’t reciprocate truthfully. She settled for moving in so that her head was on his chest, right next to his heartbeat. “I will remember it. And maybe someday, I will return it.”

          They stood there for a while in that embrace, with Ben stroking her hair and Rey just breathing him in and listening to his beating heart. They really were connected. Surely, this was more than just a random dream.

          “Before you wake up,” he said after a while “there’s a bed in this room. Would you like to visit it, for old times’ sake?”

          She pulled away and rolled her eyes. “Wow, even in a dream, you still manage to drive me crazy.”

          He grinned. “Let’s just say in runs in my family.”

          Rey allowed him to lead her over to the bed. Once there, he pulled her down on top of him. She laughed and squirmed in his arms as he planted loving kisses down her cheek and neck. Her laughter turned to moans as he pulled down her tunic and began to kiss her breasts. His tongue ran over her nipple and she gave a soft cry at the familiar sensation it brought.

          “Ben,” she breathed “no taking it slow this time?”

          “Not a chance,” he replied in a husky voice. “My need for you is too strong. After all, it has been quite a while since we fucked.”

          Rey allowed him to pull her tunic up over her head and tug her pants off as well. When she was fully naked, she went to work on stripping him down too. With all clothing now out of the way, Ben put an arm around her and in one swift movement flipped them so that she was beneath him now. He immediately drifted down to her lower region, working his tongue over her to get her ready for his intrusion. She moaned freely and grasped his thick dark hair with her hand while he pleasured her. Ben had to keep one arm across her stomach so she’d stay pinned down on the bed. The sensations were making her buck upwards.

          When he was sure she was ready, he made his way back to her mouth and covered it hungrily with his own. She tasted herself on his lips and tongue as he kissed her with a passion stronger than any sun in the galaxy. His need for her ran hot through his body, and she felt it in his mind. So she wrapped her legs around him and moved herself up so that her entrance brushed against his hard as a rock manhood. He moaned into her mouth and, without having to be told twice, thrust himself inside her.

          It was heaven, fucking like that again. Ben held nothing back, and the bed rocked against the wall as he made love to her like they’d never get to again. And maybe they wouldn’t, but Rey couldn’t think of that right now. All she could think of was him, and the intense desire that was fueling them both in the bed.

          This time, crying out her name, Ben finished first. He continued on though, not breaking the pace until she joined him in reaching her completion. It was a very intense explosion of pleasure, and she dug her nails into his back as the continual waves of it rushed over her. When it subsided, she closed her eyes and lay there panting as he pulled himself out of her. He did not roll over onto his back but remained on top of her, stroking her face and looking down at her as if she were the most wonderful thing he had ever seen.

          “I love you, Rey,” he whispered, kissing her on the cheek. “Please forgive me.”

          Rey opened her eyes, and saw with a pang that he was gone. Sitting up, she realized that she had come out of the dream and was back in the hut on the island. Her hand went down to her stomach and she found she was still pregnant. Yes, it had been a dream, but had it really happened? Had Ben really been there with her? It felt like it. Perhaps she would ask Luke tomorrow if such connections were really possible.

          She laid back down with a huff and tried to get comfortable again. Now how was she going to block _that_ out of her thoughts from her master?


	7. Chapter 7

          His brow furrowed as he struggled to hold up the glacier. Snoke had ordered him to Force-lift the glacier and hold it in the air for an hour. He claimed it was part of his training, but Kylo Ren knew why: It was a punishment. Ever since his fight with Rey, Snoke had not been pleased with his defeat. He had pushed him hard in his training, borderline torturing him in an effort to make him stronger. Though it had been months since the fight and his wounds were healed, he still struggled. He was not sure he had it in him to get stronger.

          It was the compassion he felt for Rey. His love for her was holding him back, keeping him from plunging into the dark completely. No matter how many times he tried or how hard he trained, he could not rid himself of it. Snoke felt it, and it angered him. He knew he was losing his apprentice to the light.

          “Difficult, is it not?” Snoke’s voice rang out behind him. He didn’t turn to watch his master stride forward, looking on with disappointment as his apprentice struggled to maintain the glacier.

          “With your guidance, Master, I will get stronger,” Kylo Ren replied, not faltering in spite of his fatigue.

          Snoke scoffed at him. “So you’ve said before. It’s been nearly nine months since your fight with the scavenger, and still you do not improve.”

          Kylo wasn’t sure how to reply. He couldn’t deny it, his training had not advanced in the slightest. He wasn’t getting stronger, in spite of what he assured his Master. Even after killing his father, it had not pushed him into the darkness but rather had the opposite effect. When he killed him, he expected it to happen right away, his transition into complete darkness. Instead, it had left nothing but a gaping hole in his heart.

          “The girl,” Snoke continued when his pupil didn’t respond “she weakens you.”

          He still didn’t respond. There was no reason to try and deny it; Snoke already knew what was in his heart.

          “Let us hope your son at least will do what you could not,” said his master.

          Kylo Ren nearly dropped the glacier at that. “My son?” he asked, his mind racing.

          Though he wasn’t looking at him, he could hear the satisfied smile in Snoke’s voice. “Oh yes. Come now, don’t pretend like you have not seen the visions as I have. I know what you did with the scavenger, and I know that a child came into being because of it.”

          Kylo was silent, his heart beating hard in his chest and the glacier nearly slipping from his grasp now. Snoke knew about Rey and the baby—this was certainly not good.

          “She will give birth very soon now,” his master went on. “I imagine she will try and hide the child from us as it is likely both she and Luke will have foreseen what’s to come.”

          His apprentice swallowed hard. “And what will you do with my son?” he asked in a quiet voice. “Surely, a baby cannot be trained to fight.”

          “No, indeed he cannot. But I will make sure he grows into the darkness.”

          Kylo Ren let the glacier drop then turned to face his master. He had to look up to meet his gaze, as his master was over a foot taller than himself. “Supreme Leader,” he said “let me get my son from her. She will trust me.”

          Snoke laughed. “No, I will be retrieving the boy myself. You will merely be the distraction.”

          “I will not fail you,” his apprenticed promised, but they both could hear the emptiness in his words.”

          “Oh Kylo Ren,” sighed Snoke “you already have.”

 

          Rey never screamed in pain, but the night she went into labor she let her cries ring out across the island. Luke was at her side, trying to keep her calm but his efforts were in vain. She was not to be calmed or comforted.

          “It’s going to be alright, Rey,” he assured her.

          She groaned and leaned her head back on the pillows he’d propped up for her. “Easy for you to say,” she said through gritted teeth “you’re not the one who has to do this.”

          Luke gave her a wry smile. “True, but I sat through it with Leia when she had Ben. I know it’s worth it in the end.”

          “Ben ended up betraying you and killing one of your best friends!”

          “Yes—well—he was a cute baby at least.”

          Another contraction ran through her and Rey’s cries of pain prevented her from answering. C3PO was at her feet, working on getting the baby delivered safely.

          “You need to push now, Mistress Rey,” he encouraged. “The head is starting to protrude.”

          Rey pushed as hard as she could, but it didn’t feel like the baby was going to move at all. She dropped back against the bed, panting. “I can’t do this,” she said, tears of pain and frustration in her eyes.

          “Yes you can,” Luke replied firmly. “You’re a Jedi Knight; you can do anything.”

          She looked up at him, and for the first time since she went into labor she felt comforted by him. He had been with her for nine months, coaching her and helping her to get stronger. Even now, he was still by her side trying to help her. She was grateful that he was there.

          The labor lasted another hour before, with one final push, the baby came into the world. While Rey collapsed onto the bed and Luke congratulated her, C3PO took the baby and began to clean him up. Now it was the child’s cries filling the night, and tears of joy running down Rey’s cheeks.

          “Let me see him,” she implored C3PO, holding out her arms wearily towards him.

          The droid placed the swaddled child into her waiting arms and stood back to watch as mother and child met for the first time. Rey could not stop looking at him; he was just the way she’d seen him in her vision with those big brown eyes and little tufts of dark hair. She used the Force to calm him and stop his crying. He seemed content to lay in her arms and stare up at her while she rocked him and talked to him.

          “Hello my sweet boy,” she cooed, brushing her finger ever so gently across his soft cheek. She kissed him and held him close to her. “Okay, you were right, Master Luke: This is worth it.”

          Luke nodded. “You did so well, Rey. What are you going to call him?”

          “I’ve been thinking about that. I want to hold off on it until Leia gets here. It’s—it’s something I need to ask you both.”

          He looked perplexed, but said “Very well then. Come, C3PO, let’s give the new mother some time alone with her son.”

          When they left the room, Rey closed her eyes and pressed her forehead to the baby’s. “Ben,” she whispered “I wish you could be here. I wish you could see him.”

 

          Kylo Ren sat up in bed, his heart suddenly racing. He felt something…something that was warming his heart and making him feel like shouting for joy until his voice was hoarse. He was confused—what had happened to make him feel so happy?

          And then he realized: Nine months. It had been a little over nine months since the last time he had been intimate with Rey. Their shared visions where they gave into their passions made him forget that it had been much longer since he had last had her on his bed in Starkiller Base. Enough time had gone by, so surely Rey had just had her baby.

          As quickly as his heart had inflated, it suddenly began to sink with the realization that Snoke would seek out Rey and the baby almost as soon as he felt the presence. He was suddenly filled with a ferocity he’d not felt since fighting Rey and Finn in the forest all those months ago. He wanted desperately to protect his lover and their son. Even if Rey wanted nothing to do with him anymore, he had to protect her. He had to make sure she and the baby were together and safe.

          He laid back down on his bed and closed his eyes. Using his training, he cleared his mind and sent himself into a deep slumber. There, he would be able to reach Rey and give her a warning. At least, he hoped he could.

          When he regained his bearings, he was back on the hillside by the lake. He looked around quickly for Rey and spotted her a few feet away, looking out at the lake.

          “Rey!” he called out to her.

          She turned and broke out into a smile, as she always did whenever they shared a vision. “Ben,” she said happily, embracing him as he reached her.

          As much as he wanted to continue holding her, Kylo knew things were grave and he had to warn her quickly. “Rey, listen to me,” he said urgently, pulling away and taking her by the shoulders. “Snoke wants your baby, and he’s going to come take him himself. No matter what I say, he’s going to do it. You have to get the child somewhere safe.”

          Rey nodded, lowering her gaze to the ground. “I know,” she said softly. “As soon as I’m able, I’ll send him somewhere safe.”

          “I don’t know if anywhere is safe,” said Kylo Ren. “He’s going to find him no matter what.”

          “If he stays with me, Snoke will definitely find him,” she pointed out. “Both Luke and I are strong with the Force so he’ll sense us. If it’s just our son on his own—perhaps he has a better chance of staying hidden.”

          Kylo bit his bottom lip. “That might work but…Rey, that means you—”

          “I know,” she cut him off “I’ll have to say good-bye to my son.”

          They were silent. A warm wind blew across the hillside, moving the grass at their feet and rustling the trees in the distance. Rey drew closer to him and rested her head on his shoulder. “I wish we could live here,” she confided. “Away from all fear and worry and anger.”

          He cupped the back of her head with his hand and pressed his lips to her temple. “I know,” he mumbled. “But this is a fight we can’t run from.”

          She pulled away and looked up at him with her gentle brown eyes. “Do you think it will end someday? Do you think all will be made right?”

          “I hope so,” he replied. He reached up and stroked the side of her face gently. “The baby…how is he?”

          “Perfect,” she said, a small smile on her lips. “Takes after me mostly, but I think he’ll have your nose.”

          Kylo laughed. “Poor child. You take good care of him, alright? I’ll do what I can to delay Snoke and keep you both safe.”

          “I will.” They kissed then, neither one wanting to break the contact just yet. Kylo Ren savored the feeling of her lips, just as desiring and desperate as his own. He hoped they would both live to be able to do this outside of the vision once again.


	8. Chapter 8

Rey could not remember the last time she had been so happy. The arrival of her son, bittersweet as it was, brought an explosion of joy to her life that was unmatched by anything. She had considered motherhood throughout the pregnancy, unsure of how it would be or even if she would make a good mother. She wondered how holding her child or seeing their smile for the first time would make her feel. Nothing she had imagined even came close. 

Though it was awkward and alarming at first trying to figure out how to care for an infant, she loved her son unconditionally. From the first time he was placed in her arms, she knew that this was someone she would do anything for. Because of this, Rey dedicated her time to trying to figure out how best to care for him.  
Luke helped somewhat, but he had never been a father before. He had only observed Leia’s care of Ben, and those observations weren’t constant. C3P0 was more helpful, as he had infant care programmed into his database. Leia had done this after Ben was born so that the droid could be helpful in case she and Han ever had a second child. Rey was grateful for the help, and took all the pointers she could from him.

Though the baby’s birth was a happy time, Rey knew it couldn’t last. Snoke, according to the transmissions from the Resistance base, was already combing the galaxy for the boy. They had been fortunate so far that he had not found them on their secluded planet, but Rey and Luke knew it was only a matter of time before they were discovered.   
Rey knew the reason for their safety was Ben’s doing. He had been true to his word and was doing everything he could to distract the Supreme Leader’s attentions from their location. It was a huge risk, going against Snoke like that, but Rey was grateful. She hoped that this meant Ben would at last turn fully away from the Dark Side and join them in their cause to bring down the First Order.

She was also nervous about seeing her former lover face to face again. Their Force visions were one thing, since she knew those were only real in their minds. In them, they were free to feel and act how they wanted. However, in real life it would be much more complicated. Ben had killed his father, destroyed everything Luke had worked for, and ruined the lives of countless others. He would have to atone for these wrongs, and Rey was unsure how those like Poe and Finn would take to him seeking redemption. Even she was still on the fence with how she felt about him besides her physical need for him. One thing she was sure of though was that if he wanted redemption, she would stand by his side to help him achieve it.

Three months after the baby’s birth, Rey sat on a rock outside her hut rocking him to sleep. She had just nursed him and was trying to get him to nap so she could train with Luke for a little while. Balancing motherhood with Jedi training was tricky. Rey could see why the Jedi order in the past did not allow attachments, as it distracted from what was being learned. However, since their numbers were so small now, Luke had bent some of the rules of the order. He knew Rey’s potential with the Force, so even though she came to him pregnant he still accepted her as a pupil.

While she sat, some movement overhead caught her eye. At first, she felt a cold, sickening fear take hold of her when she saw that it was a ship headed right for their island. As it got closer though, she relaxed. It was a Resistance ship, not a First Order one. Then she got excited; it was Leia, Finn, and Poe coming to visit. They said they would soon, so they must have chosen today.

The ship set down next to Rey’s, and she got up carefully to go greet their visitors. Her son’s nap would just have to wait since his grandmother would definitely want to hold him for a while.

Luke joined her as they waited for the trio to disembark. Finn’s face lit up when he saw Rey and he bolted over to her.

“It’s so good to see you again, Rey,” he said, giving her a one-armed hug since she was holding the baby. “Oh, and here’s little baby Finn looking so cute and sweet.”

Rey rolled her eyes. “I told you, I am not naming him Finn.”

Finn’s bottom lip stuck out in a fake pout. “Come on, Rey, you know you want to name him after your best friend.”

“What am I then?” asked Poe, striding over.

“How are you her best friend?” Finn demanded. “You’ve only spoken to her during the transmissions.”

Poe put his hands on his chest. “Hey, I felt a great connection with Rey during those transmissions. She and I talked for hours about flying and ships and mechanics. I feel like we really bonded.”

“Uh-huh, sure,” said Finn, exchanging an amused look with Rey.

“We did! That’s why I know she’s about to introduce us to baby Poe.”

Rey laughed. “For the final time, I am not naming my son after either of you. I’m naming him BB-8!”

The two men looked horrified for a moment before it dawned on them that Rey was not serious. They then shared in the laugh.

“Seriously though, he is cute,” said Poe. “May I hold him? It’s been a long time since I got to hold a baby.”

While Finn and Poe admired the baby and continued to bicker over why he should be named after one of them, Rey went to Leia and hugged her tightly.

“You’re losing the baby weight fast,” Leia noted when they broke apart. “I swear, I didn’t lose mine until Ben was a teenager!”

Rey giggled. “Well, Jedi training is a lot of hard work and exercise. Plus our diet out here is pretty limited.”

Leia and Luke embraced one another next, and it warmed Rey’s heart to see the siblings reunited. They had such a strong bond and love for one another, being twins and all. It made her long for a sibling of her own, and she couldn’t help but feel a little jealous of them. But then she looked over at Finn and Poe, both smiling down at the baby in Poe’s arms, and realized she didn’t need to be jealous. Those two were like the brothers she never had. After all, family wasn’t necessarily those related to you by blood.

“It’s getting bad out there,” Leia told them gravely. “The First Order has become more violent now. We fight them, but they just keep coming back, even after their base was destroyed. They’re like a wounded animal, lashing out because they know they’ve been weakened.”

Rey always felt sick whenever she heard news like that. After all, it would be up to her and Luke to try and fix things once her training was completed. Such a task seemed so daunting since she felt she still had a long ways to go before she was ready to take them on. In the meantime, people were dying and she felt so helpless so stop it.

“We’ve got to take out Snoke,” she said. “Once he’s gone, the First Order will die down too.”

Luke’s jaw clenched. “I don’t think that’s true,” he admitted reluctantly. “Snoke is only one piece of the puzzle. You take him away, there’s still an entire group of people who will continue to fight for that cause.”

“Then what should we do?” asked Leia. She sounded weary, and Rey felt her heart go out to her. The loss of Han had hit her very hard. Though she was a strong woman, being without her lover had taken its toll. Rey had never seen her cry, but she knew that his death at the hand of her son was tearing her apart.

“We need to take out Snoke first,” Rey insisted. “He has to pay for what he’s done. It’s because of him that Ben turned to the Dark Side in the first place. If we kill him, we can at least weaken the Order.”

“Rey, what have I taught you?” Luke reprimanded. “Jedi aren’t supposed to take the vengeful path. That’s what leads to the Dark Side.”

Now it was her turn to clench her jaw. It frustrated Rey that Luke, even after everything, still wanted peaceful solutions to things. She didn’t think it was right for Jedi to always do that. Rey felt that sometimes violence was the answer. And this was one of those times.

“Let’s talk about this later,” Leia interceded. She could probably sense the frustration building up in Rey and wanted to stop it before it could surge out. “Alright boys, let me hold my grandson.”

With the focus shifted to the baby, the afternoon turned into a happier one. Rey did see Leia cry for the first time when she held her grandson, and she knew why. He must have looked a good deal like his father when he was a baby. It was bringing back difficult memories to Leia about how she failed to save her own son from his downfall. The moment was bittersweet for her; bitter because he looked like her son, but sweet because she was happy to be a grandmother.

“What are you going to name him?” Leia asked Rey while the group was eating their lunch. She still held her grandson and seemed to have no desire to relinquish him to anyone else just yet.

“That’s why I was waiting until you arrived,” she replied, suddenly feeling a little nervous. She wasn’t sure how her request would go over with Luke and Leia. “I was thinking about naming him Anakin, after your father.”

Silence fell over the group after that. Even Finn and Poe stopped talking to look over incredulously at Rey. Leia’s expression was unreadable, but Luke looked thoughtful at the idea.

“I am fine with that,” he said. “After all, when Vader was Anakin, he was still a good man. I think the name goes along with a happier time in our father’s life.”

Rey held her breath waiting for Leia to respond. Luke had told her how Leia had never fully forgiven her father for what he had done. That was the main reason she was nervous to ask about it. Still, she wanted to try. She felt that Anakin was the best choice of name for their child and she was certain that Ben would approve.

“Alright,” said Leia after a few moments of deliberation. “Our father gave in to the Dark Side, but I think naming your child Anakin is a good omen. I think he will be faced with the same challenges and rise above them because he has a good, strong mother to look out for him.”

“Thank you,” Rey said, feeling relief wash over her. “Then that’s what he’s going to be called: Anakin…well, I don’t really have a last name, so I suppose he would be Anakin Solo then.”

Poe made a face. “Yeah, ‘Anakin Ren’ doesn’t really have a nice ring to it.”

Rey smiled. “I agree, that sounds awful. Okay, Anakin Solo it is then.”

She was happy that her son’s name was finally legitimized. In her mind, she had been calling him Anakin since he was born. She did not know why the name stuck with her, but she was happy with it. And when Ben heard about it, she knew he would be happy with it as well. She was excited to tell him the next time they shared a Force vision together.

* * *

Later that night, after their visitors and Luke had retired to their respective beds, Rey put Anakin down to sleep in their hut then laid down on her own bed. She went to sleep with Ben on her mind, hoping to share a vision with him and tell him the good news.

When she opened her eyes, she was in the house by the lake. She called out for Ben, but heard no response. This was not unusual, as sometimes it took him a little while to make the connection. Rey took the opportunity to explore more of the house. 

Usually when they were there, they stayed confined to the bedroom or the balcony. The rest of the house was beautiful, with high stone ceilings engraved with floral designs. She ran her hand along the walls, feeling their cold, smoothness beneath her fingertips. It made her sad to think that Ben’s grandparents, Anakin and Padme, had been unable to spend their life together there. If one day everything came to an end and there was peace in the galaxy, Rey could see herself living there and raising her child. Maybe even with Ben, depending on the choices he made and how her own feelings turned out. The thought gave her hope and made her happy to think about. They could have a chance at a good life, surrounded by beautiful green lands.

As she exited the house through the back door and entered the gardens, she saw Ben up ahead sitting on a bench. She was about to call out to him when she realized something was wrong. His head was bowed down and he seemed to be fading in and out of the vision. Rey could feel him there, but it was weaker than usual. It was like he was there, but just barely. That worried her.

“Ben?” she inquired hesitantly as she approached him on the bench.

He look up at her, but the movement was slow. It wasn’t brisk as he usually was whenever he saw her. This only raised more red flags with Rey.

“Rey,” he said, and even his tone was off. It was low and distorted, like he was speaking from far away.

She sat next to him and took his face into her hands. “Ben, what’s wrong?” she demanded urgently.

He said something in reply, but it was took quiet for her to hear even when sitting right beside him. All she caught of what he said was the word “time.”

“I can’t hear you,” she said, feeling panicked now. If his Force bond was weakened, that meant something must have happened to him physically.

The image of him sitting beside her faded almost completely and it made her jump. She had never seen anything like this happen to him before in their visions. Her hands grasped thin air when he faded, like he wasn’t there anymore.

“Ben!” she called desperately.

Gradually, he came back into focus until he was there again beside her. She slowly reached out and felt relief when she was able to feel him. He looked around him before turning to her. His expression was a little livelier now, but he still seemed slow and distant.

“Rey, listen to me,” he said, his voice clearer this time. He put his hands on her shoulders and looked her in the eye. “Snoke found you. He’s coming.”

His words hit her harder than any physical blow ever could. It was the last thing in the world that she wanted to hear at that moment. And she knew Ben was not lying—why would he? Snoke must have tortured the information out of him, and that was the reason for his weakened state.

“What should I do?” Rey asked meekly. She was letting panic cloud her judgement and couldn’t think through the haze that had taken over her mind.

“Go to the Resistance base,” he instructed, his grip on her tightening. “You, Luke, and our son. You’ll be safe there.”

“What about you?” 

He gave her a wry smile. “Snoke can’t hurt me anymore,” he murmured. “Unless he gets to you and the baby.”

“He won’t,” Rey assured him, struggling to find her strength again. “I’ll get them to safety. But Ben, I want to get you away while you still can.”

Ben just continued to smile and shook his head. “It’s too late for me.”

“No it’s not,” she said firmly, grabbing him by the chin and making him look her in the eye. “There’s still hope for you, and I’m not about to give up on you.”

“I’ve lost everything,” he replied, refusing to meet her gaze. “My parents, my future…you.”

She shook her head. “You haven’t lost me, Ben, I’m here for you.” She reached out and placed her hand over his. “Anakin is here for you too now.”

His eyes met hers finally. “Anakin?” 

Rey smiled and leaned in closer to him. “Our son. I’ve named him Anakin after your grandfather. Anakin Solo.”

Ben’s jaw dropped and he seemed unable to form a response to this. “Anakin,” he repeated, and Rey was pleased to see him smile after he said it. “That’s—that’s wonderful, Rey.” He began to fade again, so when he came back he took Rey’s hands into his own. “I have to go now before he finds out what I’m doing. I love you, Rey, so please be safe.”

And then he was gone. Rey was holding thin air once more. She called for him a few times, hoping he would reappear so she could give him a proper farewell. He did not, and her heart ached because of it. She might never get to see him again, and it hurt. Still, her feelings had to be dealt with later. If Ben’s words were true and Snoke really had found them, she had to wake up and get to the others as soon as she could.

“Ben,” she whispered “I will save you too someday. I promise.”


End file.
